Birthday Parties and Magicians
by BonesBird
Summary: It's Charlie Tucker's birthday party, and Serena Archer is determined to get her uncle Malcolm to teach her magic tricks. Much to the amusement of her parents.


**And another one moved over from AO3. Set in the post-Romulan War universe in 2167. Serena is 5, and Henry is due any day.**

**Shin xx**

* * *

Birthday parties had never been his forte. At least this time he hadn't been expected to do anything. 5 weeks earlier he'd been the clown for Serena's birthday party, something that had not gone down so well when he discovered his daughter didn't like clowns, the month before that he'd been a wizard for Toshiko's dress up party. For this one, the Curie was at Earth, therefore it was Trip and Malcolm's turn to be the entertainment for the day. After one screaming fit from the birthday boy, Trip had changed back into his civilian clothes to comfort his son, while Malcolm was still dressed as a full magician, entertaining the kids in the living room. From what Jon could tell, he was entertaining Trip at least as much.

Jon himself, however, had his attention regularly distracted. He knew that if he carried on coddling Erika, he was likely to be the one to push her into labour, but she was supposed to be on bedrest. At her age, and as far along as she was, he was almost certain that walking about the house was not so good for her. "I can see you, you know." She called from the kitchen counter, where Hoshi and a few other parents were stood. He looked up at her and tried to paint a picture of innocence on his face, wondering if he could actually fool his wife into believing he wasn't watching her like a hawk. She narrowed her eyes at him, and he realised that his attempt had been as futile as he thought it might have been. "I'm not going to have this baby right now."

"You're supposed to be on bed rest, Rike." He said as she came round and slid onto the bench beside him. He'd avoided the sofa all night, remembering the effort it had already taken to get her to the party after she'd got caught in the sofa at home. "For both of your sakes."

"That was to stop me being pre-term like with Rena. I passed 'term' more than two weeks ago. If I want to walk around I will." She muttered and nudged him lightly. Just making him smile and wrap an arm around her, settling his hand against the bump. "I kind of want this bit over now though. I'm bored of not being able to walk, or sleep, or breathe." She complained with a smile on her face. He knew that she was as happy as he was that they hadn't and probably wouldn't spend the first month of their second child's life in and out of the hospital, but he could also see her point about being bored.

"Breathing is overrated anyway." He teased with a smirk. She nudged him gently, then leant against him, watching the magic show. He had to admit, Malcolm was actually a good magician, he was certainly keeping the children entertained, even Serena. If there was only one thing his daughter had inherited from him, and it was looking increasingly likely that was the case as she grew more like Erika every day, it was his lack of tact. Entertaining their 5 year old had become a constant battle, one that he wasn't sure they could ever win. "Serena's actually watching."

"She's waiting for Malcolm to fluff so she can jump on him about it." Erika observed, and as he watched his daughter, he realised she was entirely right. If Malcolm put so much as one slight wrong, Serena would destroy him for it. "It's a good job he was one of your officers, he might be able to handle Rena's teasing." Erika laughed, and that took Jon back to a month earlier, when Kalil had fallen off the unicycle. Brutal had probably been the only word to describe Rena's critique of his technique.

"She wasn't that mean to Kalil." He muttered, feeling honour bound to protect his daughter from the accusations of her mother, but he felt the incredulous stare of his wife on the side of his face as he finished the sentence.

"She made him cry, Jonathan." He almost laughed at the disbelief in her tone, and had to look at the expression he imagined she was pulling. He wasn't disappointed, and when he started chuckling Erika continued her point. "A grown man with 14 children of his own!"

"They had another?" He asked, fairly sure that last time they had taken a headcount they'd only had 13.

"Last one, Amsha assured me of that." Erika laughed then smirked at him. They both turned back to the magic show, and a second later all they could hear was Serena's voice start rising. Jon wondered if he should go and rescue Malcolm from the grip of the vicious child, but decided that since he hadn't rescued Kalil, he shouldn't show preferential treatment to the former crew of Enterprise over Columbia. "Serena!" Erika shouted after a few seconds, but she just looked up and shook her head toward her mother before going back to chasing Malcolm.

He was unsurprised when Malcolm started in their direction a few minutes later, Serena still hot on his tails. Jon gave Erika one final squeeze and kissed her temple as he watched them get closer. "This looks like it could be fun to sort," he joked to Erika before he thought they would be in hearing range. Completely forgetting that Serena's hearing was as excellent as Erika's. "Serena, what are you doing."

"Daddy, can you order uncle Malcolm to teach me his tricks?" She asked as she climbed up onto his knee and patted Erika's belly in their strange little family ritual. "Because you're his big boss?"

"I don't think orders matter when it comes to tricks, Rena."

"But please, Uncle Malcolm! I want to have them ready for when the baby comes." She started, jumping down and tugging on Malcolm's arm. Jon just shared a look with his friend and a smile. He seemed to remember Malcolm not being great with kids one-on-one. Then again, Erika hadn't been good with kids one-on-one either.

"I can't teach you, Rena. It's magic."

"But you said magic isn't real."

"No I didn't." Malcolm looked confused, and Jon sat back, ready to watch Serena destroy yet another one of his officers.

"Yes you did. At my birthday last year when daddy was trying to be magic."

"You have a good memory Rena."

"It comes in handy!" Jon shared a look with his wife there, instantly reminded of the amount of times she must have heard that exchange. The distraction of her parents didn't seem to stop Serena, she was determined. "Teach me please?" She begged again, tugging on his trousers. Jon felt the urge to pull her away a little if only to save Malcolm from being completely annoyed by her. She wasn't his child, he didn't have to humour her.

"She won't give up Malcolm, she's still trying to get someone to tell her way babies aren't big from birth."

"Not how they were created?" Malcolm asked, and he grimaced, wondering if Erika did too.

"No. Phlox taught her that in great detail." Erika replied, and all Jon could do was nod in confirmation. Thankfully, that had been six months earlier, and he was pretty sure that Serena had forgotten most of it by now.

"I'm sorry I asked. OK, I'll teach you some tricks, but you have to promise to keep them secret." Malcolm said, kneeling down beside Serena. She jumped up and down with a clap before squealing a little.

"I promise! Thank you uncle Malcolm." Serena smiled and shook his hand officially then was off with a shout. "See Tosh! I told you I could do it, mommy says I annoy things out of everyone!"

"Hey, I'm telling the truth!" Erika held her hands up. Giving the retreating five year old a look that said she would be having a word with her when they got home. Malcolm stood up a second later and went to rejoin the others, stood in the kitchen.

"I shouldn't let you speak to our children. You're the reason she refers to Charlie as little shit." He couldn't help but smile at that. 'Little Shit' had become Serena's pet-name for her friend, but it was a bit worrying that she had picked that up because Erika had called her a little shit so often. Not that he really minded, the way Serena was going, it fit.

"I apologise for nothing." Erika laughed and leant against him again. However much he would tease Erika about her lack of language control around Serena, or some of the things that she had picked up from her mother. His family made everything there worth it, and he wouldn't change them for anything. From his wife and daughter, their second baby expected soon, and their large, extended, Starfleet family - they were the reason he'd fought for so long. Sitting here, that was why he had fought.


End file.
